Early this morning, one of my great heroes died. Manuel Ayau – founder of Guatemala’s remarkble Universidad Francisco Marroquin – lost his brief fight with cancer.
I’m rather choked up now. Muso – as he was affectionately called – became my and Karol’s good friend over the years. He possessed a love of life, a sense of humor, an optimism, an entrepreneurial drive, and an understanding of – and love of – liberty that are combined in so few people as perfectly as they were combined and balanced in Muso.
Five years ago, on the occassion of Muso’s 80th birthday, I wrote this celebration of him. It is inadequate. Words alone can’t begin to capture the greatness and goodness of this man. I will miss him. Guatemala will miss him. Students of comparative advantage will miss him. The cause of human liberty will miss him.
All of us here at GMU, Mercatus, and IHS wish Muso’s widow, Olga, and her large and loving family strength and peace.
